Shaquille O'Neal Sworn In As Police Officer, Issued Gun And Badge

Shaquille O'Neal was sworn in as a reserve police officer Thursday, with the Miami Heat centre choosing to skip a public event in favour of a quiet, no-frills ceremony.

"Officer O'Neal is very considerate toward the other officers, and he was afraid if he was there he would have taken away from that moment for other officers," department spokesman Robert Hernandez said. "This is a very special time for them and their families."

The former Laker was a reserve officer in Los Angeles before moving to South Florida. He spent the past year training as a Miami Beach police reserve officer and can now add the $1-a-year salary to his $100 million US, five-year contract with the Heat.

The seven-foot-one all-star will be able to carry a gun, wear a badge and make arrests, but with his celebrity status he most likely will not walk a beat or go undercover. He will work as time permits in the volunteer position.

O'Neal has said he is most interested in working with the special victims detective unit to help stop crimes against children.

"He made it clear when he decided to come to Miami Beach that he didn't want to just be a poster boy for photo ops, he wanted to get down and dirty and do the job," Hernandez said. "He's here to conduct investigations and to make arrests."

And in September he did just that. After seeing a man throw a bottle and yell anti-gay slurs at a passer-by, O'Neal trailed the man and helped an officer arrest him as a hate-crime suspect

Call me cynical, but whenever I see a story like this I can't help but feel that protestations of wanting to be directly involved aside, there's the inescapable fact that the money these people can bring to communities and/or charitable endeavors can do a lot more good than their personal volunteerism. And while his intentions may be good--pristine even--the "poster boy" aspect of it is also inescapable.

So I wish him luck on principle, but hope he's also making some nice donations to that community as well--perhaps directly funding shelters for domestic abuse victims, supporting retirement and benefit funds for local police officers and their families, etc.

Call me cynical, but whenever I see a story like this I can't help but feel that protestations of wanting to be directly involved aside, there's the inescapable fact that the money these people can bring to communities and/or charitable endeavors can do a lot more good than their personal volunteerism. And while his intentions may be good--pristine even--the "poster boy" aspect of it is also inescapable.

So I wish him luck on principle, but hope he's also making some nice donations to that community as well--perhaps directly funding shelters for domestic abuse victims, supporting retirement and benefit funds for local police officers and their families, etc.

Hey, Cynical

I see the point you're making, Krom, but I don't wholy agree. Even though I lauded wanting to be more than a symbol above, his volunteering overall IS a symbol as well as an example for others to follow. Rather than throwing cash at the community, some youngsters (or oldsters) might just possibly be moved by his example to do something themselves as an individual in a public service manner.

I don't fault him for the inescapable 'poster boy' aspect unless it appeared to be something he's looking to cash in on in self serving manner. Even celebrities ought to be able to be regular Joe's if they desire in some aspects of their life. Being a sports star shouldn't restrict you to being only that.

One noteable exception: Singers, actors, sports figures and similar critters who believe that makes them moral arbitrators with political views we all desire to listen to and learn from. Spare us, please.